Joe Gibbs Racing suffered a blow when Denny Hamlin was injured in a crash last week at Auto Club Speedway, forcing Hamlin out of his car for at least five races and possibly ruining his championship hopes.

It enjoyed a stroke of good fortunate on Thursday, however, when it struck it deal for veteran Mark Martin to fill in while Hamlin is out.

Selecting Martin to replace the injured Hamlin was a brilliant move and one that could pay off big for both the organization and Hamlin.

Gibbs likely could not have found a better driver than Martin, who at 54 is the most experienced and one of the most accomplished drivers in the sport.

Martin has 40 career Cup victories in more than 25 full- and part-time seasons. He was a championship contender for two of the sport's most powerful teams — Roush Fenway Racing and Hendrick Motorsports. He was available because he is running only a partial schedule with Michael Waltrip Racing, a Toyota team that has close ties to JGR.

Gibbs seemingly had two good options in its own organization in Brian Vickers and Elliott Sadler. Both are former Cup drivers now running the Nationwide Series for Gibbs. Both have won Cup races and made the Chase.

But neither has Martin's wealth of experience and knowledge. Both drivers, too, had mixed results and limited success in the Sprint Cup series. Though both have won races (Sadler three, Vickers two), neither has won in a while and both would immediately have to adjust to a new Sprint Cup car.

Martin has run four of the five Cup races this season with the new car, finishing third in the Daytona 500.

He also has proven throughout his career he can climb in any car with any team and not only be competitive but emerge as a contender to win.

In 2007, Martin cut back to a part-time schedule and joined a new Bobby Ginn Racing team. It seemed a big gamble for a driver who had driven for Roush his whole career. But in his very first race with the team, Martin nearly won the Daytona 500, finishing inches behind Kevin Harvick. He finished in the top five in four of his first five races with the new organization.

Two years later, Martin jumped back to full-time racing and joined Hendrick Motorsports. In his first year with the organization, he won five races and challenged Jimmie Johnson for the championship, finishing second in points for the fifth time in his career.

Martin cut back to a part-time schedule again last year and joined MWR. In 24 races, he had four top-five and 10 top-10 finishes and nearly won the June race at Pocono Raceway. He also was instrumental in helping the Waltrip organization make huge strides, putting two drivers in the Chase and winning three races with Clint Bowyer.

Now Martin will bring the same magic and expertise to Gibbs, which must keep the No. 11 team competitive and moving forward while Hamlin recovers.

Some believe Gibbs should have gone with Vickers or Sadler, or should have given an even younger driver a chance.

While that's a noble idea, it would not have been the best move for Hamlin or the organization. What JGR needs in Hamlin's absence is experience, expertise and consistency.

Though Martin cannot earn points for Hamlin, he can give the team a huge lift by running well and helping it figure out and adjust to the new Sprint Cup car.

With races at some of the team's best tracks coming up, it would not be a surprise to see Martin win with Hamlin's team. At the very least, he will protect the team's cars and produce solid finishes.

And perhaps more importantly, Martin's experience and setup knowledge could be invaluable as the team continues to get a feel for the Gen-6 car. Martin will race for Gibbs at at least four tracks — Martinsville, Texas, Kansas and Richmond — that also will host key events later in the season when Hamlin returns. Martin could help the team get a handle on those tracks, giving Hamlin a better chance there when he returns.

Martin also is a joy to work with. Ask any crew chief or team member that has worked with the veteran driver and Martin gets rave reviews. No driver in the sport does a better job at crediting and pumping up his team. He will immediately provide an emotional lift to a team reeling from the injury to its driver.

Martin's experience and intangibles are invaluable to a team missing its star and in danger of missing the Chase.

That's why hiring Martin was a brilliant move by Gibbs and a stroke of good luck for a team that needs something positive right now.